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Automation Integration · head to head

Kogito vs Trigger.dev

Kogito logo

Kogito

Automation Integration

Cloud-native business automation for Quarkus, now an Apache KIE component

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Trigger.dev logo

Trigger.dev

Automation Integration

Build and deploy fully managed AI agents and workflows

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Kogito kogito is a developer framework, not a product, so there is no equivalent of Camunda Operate for business users and any process monitoring interface has to be built or bought separately.; Trigger.dev unclear scaling costs beyond included limits; pricing becomes complex beyond base plan features
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kogito and Trigger.dev actually diverge.

Attributes where Kogito and Trigger.dev differ
AttributeKogitoTrigger.dev
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feefreemium
PlatformsLinux, Docker, KubernetesWeb

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Automation Integration).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Kogito

  • Build-time code generation
  • Quarkus and Spring Boot support
  • DMN decision services
  • Drools rules engine
  • Serverless workflow
  • Kubernetes operator

Only in Trigger.dev

Nothing recorded that Kogito does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Kogito

  • A Quarkus microservice that must expose a DMN decision model as a REST endpoint with millisecond start-upnot Trigger.dev
  • Serverless deployment of business rules where a traditional BPM server would be far too heavynot Trigger.dev
  • A Red Hat shop that wants the upstream of Red Hat process automation with the option of a supported build laternot Trigger.dev
  • Replacing hand-coded conditional logic with DMN tables that business analysts can review and amendnot Trigger.dev

Trigger.dev

  • Job automation and workflow orchestrationnot Kogito
  • API-driven task schedulingnot Kogito
  • Background job processing for applicationsnot Kogito

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Kogito

  • Kogito is a developer framework, not a product, so there is no equivalent of Camunda Operate for business users and any process monitoring interface has to be built or bought separately.
  • Long-running stateful processes need external persistence and messaging that you configure and operate yourself, which removes much of the convenience a BPM server normally provides.
  • It sits inside the Apache KIE incubator, and incubating status means graduation is not guaranteed and the project name and artefact coordinates have already changed once.
  • Red Hat is by far the dominant contributor despite ASF stewardship, so the roadmap follows Red Hat product priorities rather than community demand.
  • Documentation is spread across legacy JBoss sites, the old Kogito site and the new Apache KIE site, and search results routinely land on outdated versions, which costs real time during adoption.

Trigger.dev

  • Unclear scaling costs beyond included limits; pricing becomes complex beyond base plan features
  • No published Enterprise pricing; requires contacting sales
  • HIPAA BAA compliance requires separate add-on request
  • Pro plan uses conditional language that obscures exact overage costs
  • Compute billing granularity is unclear; waits under 5 seconds still consume compute resources

Pricing, plan by plan

Kogito

Free
  • KogitoFree
    • Apache 2.0 licence
    • Apache KIE incubating project
    • No usage limits

Trigger.dev

Free
  • FreeFree
    • $5 monthly credits
    • 20 concurrent runs
    • 1 day log retention
  • Hobby$10/month
    • $10 monthly credits
    • 50 concurrent runs
    • 7 day log retention
  • Pro$50/month
    • $50 monthly credits
    • 200+ concurrent runs
    • 30 day log retention
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom discounts
    • RBAC and SSO
    • SOC 2 reports

Which should you pick?

Choose Kogito if

  • You need build-time code generation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want quarkus and spring boot support.
Kogito review

Choose Trigger.dev if

  • You want to start without paying.
Trigger.dev review

Questions people ask

Is Kogito or Trigger.dev better?
Neither clearly leads. Kogito starts at Free and Trigger.dev at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kogito or Trigger.dev?
Kogito starts at Free and Trigger.dev at Free.
Does Kogito or Trigger.dev run on more platforms?
Kogito runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. Trigger.dev runs on Web.
Can I use Kogito for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Kogito best used for?
Kogito is most often used for a quarkus microservice that must expose a dmn decision model as a rest endpoint with millisecond start-up, serverless deployment of business rules where a traditional bpm server would be far too heavy, a red hat shop that wants the upstream of red hat process automation with the option of a supported build later, replacing hand-coded conditional logic with dmn tables that business analysts can review and amend. Of those, a quarkus microservice that must expose a dmn decision model as a rest endpoint with millisecond start-up and serverless deployment of business rules where a traditional bpm server would be far too heavy are not what Trigger.dev is typically brought in for.
What can Kogito do that Trigger.dev cannot?
Kogito covers Build-time code generation, Quarkus and Spring Boot support, DMN decision services, Drools rules engine.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Kogito: Is Kogito still maintained?

Yes. It is an Apache KIE incubating project with active commits, with Red Hat as the dominant contributor.

Trigger.dev: Is there a free plan for Trigger.dev?

Yes, the Free plan offers $5 in monthly credits, 20 concurrent runs, 1 day log retention, and community support at no cost.

Source
Kogito: How does it differ from jBPM?

Kogito compiles process and rule definitions into application code at build time; jBPM was a runtime engine that loads definitions.

Trigger.dev: What's the starting price for a paid plan?

The Hobby plan costs $10 per month USD and includes $10 monthly credits, 50 concurrent runs, and 7 day log retention.

Source
Kogito: Does it need Quarkus?

It is designed for Quarkus and supports Spring Boot; both are Java frameworks rather than a standalone server.

Kogito: Is there commercial support?

Not from Apache. Red Hat sells supported builds of this lineage as part of its subscriptions.

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